Orphans Beloved: Dragon vs Fish
by regertz
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.


Orphans Beloved: "Dragon vs Fish…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…

"Well…" Ferdinand lowered his phone… "If you would put that gun away, Ms. Manning. I won't recommend you try using it since there's a 77% chance even at this range you'd fail to hit anything vital and I won't miss the same. Come on, Sarah…" warm smile. "I ought we were going to be allies…Besides, what I've been told you'll want to hear."

Sarah, returning stare coldly, keeping gun in position. "I just want to know where Helena is. In her note she insisted she had to come, she left Donnie locked in the Hendrix garage when he tried to stop her. So I want to know…"

"You left Donald Hendrix to guard Helena?" Ferdinand, chuckling…

"She loves him…He knew she'd be afraid of hurting him." Sarah shrugged. "Anyone else she'd just club over the head or if not family kill."

"Probably a good strategy at that…" nod, with grin. "So, why do you think I have her? Sarah, we have an alliance. And I actually value my life a bit."

"We got word someone was trying to get info on her. Cosima and Scott found searches, with Topside authorization, in all Dyad data banks regarding us."

"Why would they need to do that?" Ferdinand shrugged. "They should just go through me or Delphine."

Sarah, fixed stare.

"Oh." Nod. Renewed smile. "Nice to see you have a little faith in my word."

"None at all." Sarah, coolly. "But I believe you when you say you value your life. And the Neos must want you as dead as us now."

"They'd hardly want you dead…"

"We're Duncan's problem children…The test runs and the failure...Failures." Sarah noted. "Mother D wants a clean slate, a restart with all imperfection eliminated."

"Oooh…Don't tell Rachel that, if we catch her. She'd be even more hurt by that rejection than her father's."

"Who was on the phone, Ferdinand?"

"Delphine…See, I keep nothing from you. And yes, it was about Helena, as I would have told you if you'd've given me a chance. Now how's about putting the gun down before you accidently fire it and my instincts kick in?" hard stare.

With sigh, Sarah lowered the gun carefully.

"Thank you. And I trust you didn't bring the rest of the club? I've warned you it's not wise to keep bunched up, especially in the heart of the Neoland." Ferdinand, sternly.

"These are pearls I give you, Manning…" he grinned at her frown. "Accept that I know what I'm doing in this business."

"I get that you're a first class murderer."

"Cleanser…It's not always necessary to kill. Why did Helena get so agitated she left the motherly care of Hendrix and Hendrix, may I ask? Why did a search for her records bother her so?" Ferdinand eyed Sarah.

"Why did Delphine call you about Helena?"

"Hey, I already went first…Sarah? Only fair."

She grimaced at his grin. "Cosima told us the search involved Helena's killings in Europe. Helena figured Dyad or Topside was trying to gather info to blackmail us into giving her up…Accessories to our own sisters' murders. Unlike you, she feels remorse."

"She ought to…I've never killed family. Not even my obnoxious brother-in-law and a sister-in-law, god…Even Pope Francis would hire someone to do her." Smile. "So she feared for you all and you were keeping her away from Dyad...Or rather, stout Mr. Hendrix and wife were?"

"She promised but we knew she'd try…Helena takes threats to family very seriously."

"So I have heard…Glad I'm on the Light side of the Force now." Grin. "Though I must admit, I always have wondered…"

"She'd've killed you."

"Possibly…But what a challenge…" grin.

"What did Delphine say? Does she have Helena?"

"Wouldn't most of us be dead if we did?" he gave her a cocked-head questioning look. "No, but she is here…Spotted on two video cameras, naturally taken out…Though oddly enough, so was the whole security system for fifty seconds. Now it's back on, but Delphine suspects, as do I, that it's been tampered with. Hacked."

"Helena? She's never seemed a computer whiz…"

"Not Helena…The person looking for Helena…" Ferdinand noted.

"Delphine…The shifter…Is probably lying…" Sarah eyed him.

"Pseudo Delphine still trusts me, as in believing she has me fooled as well as you folks." Ferdinand shrugged. "She'd've had no reason to lie. And I believe her about our hacker, she fits the bill."

"Who? One of yours?" Sarah glared. "The Neos sent their own cleanser to whack Helena? Or is he one of the Proleithians? Wait? She?"

"Uh-huh…And yes, definitely she." Ferdinand nodded. "May I show you?"

"If you try anything funny…"

"I did consider a career in stand-up but I abandoned the notion on my first try. You know…" he clicked on the laptop on his desk as she came round to see. "…I just couldn't make people laugh…Try as I might...There…" A file opened…Sarah peered at the image on screen, a small, sight, but grim-looking young woman with black hair, in leather jacket, ring in nose.

"Lisbeth Salander…Investigative journalist, security expert, ex-…more or less…Hacker par excellence…Martial arts expert…And no, not one of mine at Topside, Dyad's, the Proleithians, or, so far as we know, the Neos…" Ferdinand eyed the image.

"Beautiful, isn't she? Though she dresses worse than you, Manning. I've actually tangled with her…She was investigating and got uncomfortably close…"

"Topside… ?"

"You…Dear heart. I mean Project LEDA…Naturally. She made Helsinki necessary."

"Murdering six clones and their familes wasn't 'necessary', Ferdinand. Whatever a bunch of greedy cowardly assholes…"

"You're not going to waste our time demanding names again? Sarah, you know I won't give them. I'm your friend…" He shook head at her furious look. "Fine, your ally, then…"

"Like Stalin and Churchill…" she noted.

"Oh, you're much prettier than Winston…" smile. "Anyway, we've settled all that. You get anything I can give you and my help in concealing what you know and with our little Nealon/Delphine…But nothing that touches my superiors, outside the Neos. That was the deal, Manning."

"I'm just expressin' my opinion of their management style…" she glared. "So you're saying this Salander isn't Topside, isn't Neo…And nearly broke the clone club story at Helsinki. She's a journalist…?"

"Well, sort of…Mostly she works as an assistant to a Swedish one…"

"Sounds like someone I'd like to do an interview with…" Sarah, tight smile.

"So would I…But it might be a less happy outcome…For some. And I wouldn't recommend specifics if you ever do do an interview with her, for all your sakes."

"More 'pearls'?"

He nodded… "I don't set the policy, Manning…Wish I did, sometimes. Maybe I should run for Prime Minister and clean up this here country?"

"Not President of the US?"

"God no…" he grimaced. "They're crazy down there."

"Why would she be researching…?"

Slam of door…

"Ferdinand…" Rachel in cool smoothness…Bionic eye fixed on him…Then…

"Sestra?" Helena, blinking with the normal, none contact lensed eye.

"What are you doing here? Is dangerous place for you. And bad memories here."

"Helena? I'm so pleased to meet you." Ferdinand beamed. "My goodness, you did a terrific job on your Rachel…"

Helena eyeing Sarah…

"Yeah, we're still in alliance…For now." Sarah, nodding. Cold stare to Ferdinand.

"No wonder you got around so well…" Ferdinand shook head. "Would you like anything? Tea, water…I'd say coffee, but…" grin. "Sarah?"

"Tea? That would be nice." Helena nodded. "Thanks you, temporary ally."

"Not a problem. But keep up the Rachel for my secretary, right?" he smiled. "You're sure, Sarah? Nothing?" he pressed buzzer pad at desk.

"So how goes…" he began… "Clara, could I have tea for us brought in please? Oh, yes. I definitely did want to see the young lady who came in first. No problem, dear." He released button and sat, eyeing Helena in her rather surprisingly good-looking Rachel outfit.

"Really remarkable…I mean Sarah here had Dyad to deck her out…" he noted. "Unless of course you are Rachel, playing Helena…"

"She's not…You don't have to take out that contact lens, Helena…" Sarah stopping her from doing so.

"You're sure?" Ferdinand, amused but just the faintest sterness.

"I know Helena…" Sarah nodded.

"You takes her word for it…" Helena nodded.

"Good enough for me…" Ferdinand nodded.

"Helena, why did you do…?" Sarah began…Knock at the door…

"Come in, Clara…" Ferdinand pleasantly… "DOWN!" he cried, pulling Sarah down…Helena falling and turning to confront the small, dark-haired woman in the doorway, shoving tea cart before her…

"Stop!" heavily accented voice, gun drawn. "Helena Duncan…I arrest you for the murders of Heide Sincler and Yvette Montan! Citizen's arrest. The rest of you…" she eyed Sarah as she trained gun on Helena.

"There's some mistake…Officer…" Helena in rather perfect British English…

"My name is Salander. I'm a reporter. This is a citizen's arrest. Helena Duncan, you will come with…"

"Please don't call me that…Dear…" languid tone. "I'm Rachel Duncan…And if you don't want lawsuit…A lawsuit…" desperate recovery.

"Who are your lawyers, Ms. Duncan?…And…" Salander regarded her. "When did you become capable of pregnancy…?"

"How should I know this? I am busy executive. Don't bother with the petty details…" frown. "As for my being with the childs, it's all due to my dear stepfather, Aldous Leekie. He arranged."

Hard stare…"Helena Duncan…I want you to come quietly or I will have place raided…" heavy accent.

"Listen, Miss…Salander…" Sarah began.

"How do you let the killer of your sisters go free like this?" Lisbeth eyed her. "She's religious fanatic and murderer. She will kill you and your sisters, as she killed my friends."

"I believe you're mistaken." Helena/Rachel in excellent British accent…Even Sarah reluctantly impressed.

"Helena…Manning, I believe she prefers…Has reform…reformed. She regrets her killings and…"

Hey! Sarah fell back with Ferdinand as Salander pulled out and used a small but very powerful taser.

"Ohhh…" Helena groaned…Crumpling…

"Helena!" Sarah hurried over.

"Miss Salander, I must protest…" Ferdinand calmly… "And I should point out I will shoot you if you don't drop that thing and…"

She leapt back from him and was out the door in a second…

"Impressive…" he nodded, smiling at the stunned Sarah kneeling beside Helena, Helena still groaning.

"But my money would've been on your sister in a fair fight, even given the pregnancy…" grin.

…..


End file.
